PHNOM PENH: As the chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 2022 and the chair of the Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) in 2023, Cambodia will adhere to the principles of peaceful cooperation and equality for the sake of regional peace, harmony and common development, Cambodia’s Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen said here on Monday.
The Cambodian leader made the remarks during the opening of the three-day Council Meeting of the Southeast Asian Games Federation (SEAGF) and the ASEAN Para Sports Federation (APSF), reported Xinhua.
“As the rotating chair of the two regional institutions, Cambodia is highly committed to the principles of peaceful cooperation and equality, contributing to addressing any potential challenges in the region in order to ensure peace, harmonisation and comprehensive partnership aimed at accelerating development for common destiny and prosperity,“ he said.
Hun Sen said sports sector plays an important role in international relations and that the biennial SEA Games and the ASEAN Para Games reflect the close ties, solidarity and close cooperation between the government and the people of all member countries.
“In addition, sports are also an opportunity to provide both technical and experience exchange in sports, which is the cultural heritage and martial arts of each nation.
“This international competition also inspires people to love and support sports and also to enhance the sport’s reputation of each member country to be more famous on the international stage,“ he said.
Cambodia will host the 32nd SEA Games for the first time in May 2023 after waiting for 64 years.
“Positive suffixes and benefits of sports will encourage all of us to put more efforts in strengthening cooperation in a proactive and interactive manner toward building national sports sector to revive and grow progressively,“ Hun Sen said. -Bernama